Pan unit



Jah. 10, 1939. I E -H- CHANDQMA I 2,143,728

PAN UNIT Filed April 7, 1937 ATTORNEY.

Patented Jan. 10, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFiCE PAN UNIT Elmer H. Chandonia, Amelia, Ohio, assigner to The Lockwood Manufacturing Company, Cincinnati, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application April 7, 1937, Serial No. 135,415 3 Claims. (Cl. 53-6) This invention relates to improvements in a opposed pockets or notches I3 and I4 in the folds pan unit of the general character disclosed in a of the pan ends. These pockets or notches are patendNo. 2,037,759, granted to me on April 21, adapted to receive lugs of the connecting strap, 1936, and disclosing a novel strap connection for as will be explained presently, and each has a 5: the pgng lower abutment edge l5, an upper abutment edge An object of the present invention is to improve i6, and a bottom or base edge I1. upon the strapconnection disclosed in my grant- The metal connecting strap 5 which embraces ed patent, above mentioned, and to facilitate asthe group of pans may be formed with a beaded sembly of the pans and straps into units. edge I8 which is adapted to be positioned adm Another object of the invention is to impart jacent to the lips 8 of the pans. Adjacent to the i0 additional strength and durability to the connecend of each pan, the strap 5 is provided with a tions between the straps and pans, and to locate pair of oppositely directed lugs I9 and 2t each the connections as close as possible to the pan of which extends rearwardly 0f Strap 5 from the corners, thereby to minimize the tendency of the BJDSYUTGS 2| and 22, TSSDeCtl/Bly, provided in i3 pans to rock about their mountings upon the strap 5. Said apertures result from the striking T5 straps and to prevent harmful looseness of the out of the respective lugs so that the vertical connections, width of each aperture is materially greater than A furtherobject is to secure as nearly as is the vertical width of its associated lug. The horipossible, a positive andpermanent connection zontal distance between the bases 23 and 24 of 20 between the straps and the pans. lugs I9 and 2) is approximately the same as the 20 The foregoing and other objects are attained horizontal distance between the bottom edges or by the means described herein and disclosed in bases I1 of the pockets of the end flaps 6 and 1. me` accompanying, drawing, in which; In the process of forming the pans from the Fig. 1 is a fragmental elevational view of a blanks as previously stated, the end flaps or folds Z5 side. of a bake pan unit embodying the invention. 6 and I will be pressed against the end of the pan, 25

Fig. 2 illustrates an intermediate step in the thereby making it almost impossible to insert operationof securing the connecting straps to the the strap lugs beneath said flaps. It is therebake pans.` fore necessary to raise the innei1 edges of the Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken flaps and this may be accomplished by subjecting 3o online 3--3 of' Fig. 1. the pans to a press having a blade which when 20 Fig. 4 is a fragmental perspective viewof one actuated lifts up the inner edges of said flaps a corner of a bake pan, as seen from an end of the distance sufficient to permit the insertion of the pan, showing the fold structure lugs. The lugs are then introduced beneath the As is customary, the pan unit comprises a naps of the pan near the bottom, (see Fig. 2),

series of bake pansd held iii-connected relationand having been Chus DOSOned, the Strap is ship by means of a connecting strap 5 formed, moved vertically along the pan ends as far as it usually, of a suitable heavy gauge metal. Each will go. The free vertical movement of the strap pan of the unit is fabricated by folding a sheet will be terminated when the bases 23 and 2liY of metal blank at its corners, and along marginal lugs I9 and 2B come into contact with the lower to provide integral sides, edges of wings 25 and 25 which form the lower 40 ends, and a bottom. The upper edges of the side I5 of the pockets. In order to continue the sides and ends may be iinished in any acceptable vertical movement of the connecting strap 5 to manner, such as by turning said edges to form its final position, an external force is necessary lips 8, and these lips may be re-enforced by a, to force the bases 23 and 24 of the lugs over the is Wire 9,if desired. wings 25 and 26. This operation may be done i5 The end folds (i` and 1 resulting from formaby a machine press. As the strap is forced into tion of the pans, are distinguished from the corposition so that beaded edge I8 abuts lip 8 of the responding folds 6 of the device shown in Patent pan and so the lugs are positioned in their respec- No. 2,037,759, inthat they are not triangular. tive pockets, the wings 25 and 26 are distorted 5o The finishedA folds are rather of trapezoidal foroutwardly following the contour of the bases 2.3 5u mation generally, and having substantially a verand 24 of the lugs I9 and 2li. The nal machine tical irregular of serrated edge'beginning at the operation is that of applying great pressure to point I2 and extending upwardly toward the lip the abutting surfaces of the pan and connecting 8. The irregularities or serrations of the substrap. This application of pressure bends the 55 stantially vertical edge are such as to provide lugs I9 and 20 toward their mounting strap 5,

thereby forcing portions of the pan metal at the pockets into the apertures 2I and 22 of the strap. 'Ihe pressure also forces the metal of the folds or flaps into close engagement with each lug, and flattens the previously distorted Wing flaps 25 and 26 back to their original position. The final position of the lug, pocket, strap, pan end and nently locked to the metal connecting strap 5.

An outstanding advantage of the present invention is the attainment of a superior and effective anchorage or permanent lock arrangement gotten by forcing the folds of the pocket of the end flaps of the pan into the apertures around the lugs and also by providing a bearing surface I5 to positively support the lug from its lower side. The practical advantage of this bearing support I5 lies in the additional reinforcement and strength added to the unit, especially valubetween the side ilaps of the pan and co-crimped lugs of the straps may become somewhat loosened. A

from under the end flaps of a pan because of theV retaining function of the bearing surface I5 of the wings. This reinforcement is equal in amount to the shear strength of the metallic wings i5.

By eliminating the conventional triangular formation of the folds 6 and 1, and providing the substantially vertically inclined edges beginning at the locations I2, I am enabled to secure a substantial increase in the distance between the strap lugs, which results in locating the strap connections much closer to the pan corners than has been possible heretofore. It will at once be appreciated that this greater spacing of the connections between the strap lugs and the end folds of the pan, materially lessens the liability of the pan to tilt or become cocked in relation to the connecting strap. The resultant increase of strength at such locations, coupled with the locking function of the abutment Wings I5 upon the strap lugs, provides an improved pan unit of unusual durability.

It should be understood that the connecting strap may be of one-piece construction, encircling any reasonable number of grouped pans, or, if desired, it may be made up of appropriate sections joined together or fastened to bumper elements or protective plates on the ends of the units, all in accordance with common practice.

and sizes.

The size of the openings 2I and 22 are prefer ably such that when the lugs I9 and 20 are operated upon for returning same toward those openthickness of the strapping 5, lugs I 9 and 20 may also enter the openings 2| and 22, rather than that the lugs be disposed wholly in back of the strapping as shown in Fig. 3;

The operation of lifting the foreshortened inner edges of the folds or flaps for facilitating entry of the lug's I9 and 20 into the opposed pair of pockets I3 and I4 of any pan, serves to temporarily increase the distance between the bases I 1 of such pockets, thereby permitting the assembly of the lugs and pockets With little or no distortion of the sheet metal of the pan flaps which extends downwardly from pockets. Any slight distortion sequently protection is provided against any physica] injury to Workmen should it ever occur that I any sharp edges are developed incident to the indicated assembly operation.

It is to be understood that it is not intended to limit the creation of units as explained herein to the exact method of production explained herein. It is obvious that the flaps 6 and 'I, as initially formed, may be permitted to extend from the body portion It is to bey understood that a pair of oppositely directed or extending lugs I9 and 20 are to be end of each pan assembled above the pocke ly larger bearing or abutment face between the It should be noted that the end folds, adjacent the pockets and adjacent the openings in the 1. The combination of a bake pan having end folds each provided with a pocket, the pockets each having upper and lower walls, a bottom and a mouth and each of said mouths opening toward the other and .a strapl having a pair o spaced lugs formed therefrom whereby to provide openings in the strap, the lugs projecting away from` one another and toward opposite ends of the strap, the lugs being attached to the strap at a distance apart approximating the spacing of the bottoms of said pockets, the lugs being received in said pockets and the end folds, about said pockets, being deformed so as to lie within the openings in the strap.

2. The combination of a bake pan having end folds each provided with a pocket, the pockets each having upper and lower walls, a bottom and a mouth and each of said mouths opening toward the other and a strap having a pair of spaced lugs formed therefrom whereby to provide openings in the strap, the lugs projecting away from 0 one another and toward opposite ends of the strap, the lugs being attached to the strap at a distance Vapart approximating the spacing of the bottoms of said pockets, the lugs being received in said pockets and the end folds, about said pockets, being deformed so as to lie Within the openings in the strap, and the lugs being seated in the deformed portions of the folds.

3. In a multiple pan structure of the class. described, the combination of a plurality of spaced bake pans, each pan having end folds each provided with a pocket, the pockets of the folds at the same end of each pan opening toward one another and strapping disposed at the opposite ends of the pans and having lugs spaced from one another at the approximate distance between the pockets and extending into the pockets, whereby contact of the side Walls of the pockets and the side edges of the lugs locks the pans and strapping together and restrains the pans and strapping against relative vertical separating movement.

ELMER. H. CHANDONIA. 

